Rotary fluid compressor



Dec. 30, 1939. v A. T. BURGER 1,786,893

ROTARY FLUID C OMPRES SOR Filed July 24, 1928 age as well as noise.

Patented Dec. 39, 1930 UNITED STATES AUGUSTUS 'r. BURGER, or DELANO, CALIFORNIA ROTARY FLUID COMPRESSOR Application filed July as,

My invention relates to'rotary fluid compressors, and it has particular reference, although not necessarily, to compressors for air as used in domestic mechanical refrigeration.

t is a purpose of my invention to provide a rotary fluid compressor of extremely simplified, inexpensive, and durable construction; one having superior compressing eniciency; and one devoid of poppet valves to reduce to a minimum the possibility'of leak- I will describe only one form of rotary fluid compressor embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims. I

in the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is view showing in vertical section oneform of rotary fluid compressor em-. bodying my invention; p

Figs. 2 and 2 are vertical sectional views ta en on the section line in Fig. 1 and looking in the directionof the arrows 2 and 2", respectively; and V F ig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary secticnal view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2

In carrying out my invention, I provide a stator composed, in the present instance,

of a cup-shaped section and a flat diskshaped section 16, the latter closing the open side of the cup section and both sections being provided at their peripheries with flanges 17 through which bolts 18 extend for securing the two sections together. The stator as a unit is supported in upright position by means of legs 19 formed integral with or secured to the cup section 15 and through i which bolts (not shown) may extend for fixedly securing the stator on a support. The interior of the section 15 provides a chamber 20. in which compressed air 1s adapted to be stored prior to its discharge into an exhaust pipe 21, preferably communicating with the top of the chamber as illustrated in Fig. l.

The chamber 20 receives a rotor 22 which 1s of substantially' disk form and provided axiallv with a hub 23 through which extends a shaft 24-, the latter being keyed to the rotor v I and journaled in suitable bearings 25 and 26 of-the stator sections 16 and 15. The exposed 1328. Serial No. 295,051.

end of the shaft 2 is provided with a pulley 27 to which power may be applied for actuating the rotor. The rotor body is positioned on the shaft 2a to have sliding contact with the inner side of the stator section 16, and at that side facing the section 16 the rotor is provided withpockets 28 positioned at diametrically opposed points and slidably receiving abutments 29 which are yieldably urged outwardly into contact with the section 16 by means of coiled expansible springs 80.

From a consideration of Fig. 2 it will be clear that the pockets 28 are of substantially rectangular form in cross-section to receive the correspondingly shaped abutments 29. The outer ends of the abutments are tapered or beveled in order to have a sliding fit within correspondingly shaped channels 31 in the confronting face of the stator section 16, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 2

The channels 31 are of arcuate form and disposed concentrically of the shaft 24 with their confronting ends in spaced relation to each other and shaped to cause graduated retractionof the abutments as they pass from one channel to the other under rotative movement of the rotor. By reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the confronting ends of the channels are formed with inclined surfaces 31 upon which the outer ends of the abutmentsride as they leave and enter the channels. Adjacent the ends or" the channels the stator section is provided with intake ports 32 and exhaust ports 38. The intake ports are arranged atxoppositeends ofthe channels and are extended through the sectionlo so as to have communication with atmosphere as will be seen by reference to Fig. 8. The exhaust ports are likewise arranged at opposite ends of the channels and are-extended in the form of a U so that their outlet ends are in communication with the chamber 20 except when closed by closure members 34. As shown in Fig. 2 these closure members are formed at diametrically opposed points on the periphery of the rotor 22 and are ofa length to effect closure of the exhaust ports for predetermined intervals during rotation of the rotor for the purpose of preventing a back flow of compressed air from the chamber into the channels 31 during the time when the abutments 29 are passing from one channel to another.

In the operation of the compressor, movement of the rotor causes the abutments 29 to successively traverse the channels 31. As either abutment enters one channel. or the other and passes the corresponding intake port 32 its forward movement through the channel operates to build up a pressure of air in advance of the abutment by reason of the rapid movement of the abutment and the relatively small area of the discharge port This action results in the discharge of air under pressure into the chamber 20 and from which latter it is ultimately t .ischargcd through the pipe 21. During the compression stroke of either abutment 29, air is sucked into the corresponding channelthrough the intake port 32, it being clear that the forward movement of the abutment produces a negative pressure at the rear side thereof which results in the suction. Thus, the channel isfilledwith a new charge of air immediately following movement of the abutment through the channel and in order that the succeeding abutment may operate to compress such charge in the same manner as the first abutment. As the abutment leaves the channel, the coacting surfaces of the abutment and channel operate to retract the abutment in order that it may pass from the leading end of one channel into the trailing end ofthe other, and it will be manifest that the trailing end of the next channel is constructed in the samemanner as the leading end of the first channel in order that the abutment may move back to its normal position so as to have a snug but sliding fit within the channel and under its aggressive movement to compress the air in advance thcreof in the same manner as when operating in the first channel.

As either abutment passes from one channel to the other, the corresponding closure member 3% covers the outlet end of the corresponding exhaust-port 33 in order to preventback How of air from the chamber 20 into the corresponding channel 31. This exhaust port is maintained closed until the succeeding abutment has entered the channel and passed beyond the corresponding intake port to build up a slight pressure in advance of the abutment. In this manner the air pressure built up within the chamber 20 is prevented from exhausting back into the channels 31 to atmosphere.

For the purpose of lubrication, the bearings and 26 are provided with ducts 25 and 26 through which lubricant may be supplied to the bearings. The rotor is pro-- vided with ducts 35 and 36 which communicate, respectively, with a groove 37 and a pocket 38 in order that lubricant may be supplied to the groove and pocket for lubricating the confronting surfaces of the rotor and stator as well as the abutments 29.

Although I have herein shown and de scribed only one form of rotary fluid compressor embodying my invention, it is to be unlerstood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I 1. A rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having spaced channels therein concentric of the stato axis, intake and exhaust ports comn'lunicating with the channels, and a rotor having abutments movable successively in the channels to expel fluid therefrom in advance of the abutn'ients and into the exhaust ports'and to simultaneously induce fluid into the channels at the rear of the abutmen'ts, and means for closing the exhaust ports while the abutments are passing from one channel to the other to prevent back How of the fluid. into the channels.

2A. rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having a chamber provided with a fluid exhaust, spaced channels therein concentric of the stator axis, intake ports communicating with the channels, exhaust ports communicating with the channels and with the chamber, and a rotor in the chamber ha ving abutinents movable in the channels successively to expel fluid "therefrom in advance of the abutments and into the exhaust ports and to simultaneously induce fluid into the channels at the rear of the abutments, and means for closing the exhaust ports where they communicate with the chamber while the abutments are passing from one channel to the other.

3. A rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having channels therein and a coinpres ed fluid receiving chamber, a rotor in the stator having lateral abutments movable in the channels, and ports in the stator controllable by the rotor for causing each abutment to compress charges of fluid within the channels and deliver them to the receiving ch amber.

t. A. rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having channels therein and a coinprcssed fluid receiving chamber, a rotor in the stator having lateral abutments movable in the channels, and ports in the stator controllable by the rotor for causing each abutment to induce charges of fluid into the channels inthe rear of the abutment and to cause the succeeding abutment to compress the induced charges and deliver them to the receiving chamber.

5. A rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having a cup-shaped section and a disk-shaped section coacting to provide a fluid receiving chamber, channels on the inner side of the disk-shaped section spaced apart and concentric of the axis of said section, an intake port at one end of each channel communicating with atmosphere, an exhaust port at the other end of each channel communicating with said chamber, a rotor in the chamber having lateral abutments movable in the channels and yieldably mounted to permit them to pass from one channel to the other, and closure members on the periphery of the 10 rotor for periodically closing the exhaust ports.

6. A rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having a cup-shaped section and a disk shaped section coacting to provide a fluid receiving chamber, channels on the inner side of the disk-shaped section spaced apart and concentric of the axis of said section, an iii-- take port at one end of each channel communicating with atmosphere, an exhaust port 20 at the other end of each channel communicating with said chamber, a rotor in the chamc-Y ber, side pockets in the rotor at diametrically opposed points, abutments in the pockets for movement in the channels, springs in the pockets for yieldably urging the abutments outwardlyto have a fluid-tight fit within the channels, and closure members on the periphery of the rotor at diametrically opposed points for periodically closing the exhaust 30 ports in respect to said chamber.

7 A rotary fluid compressor comprising a stator having channels in one inner side face thereof, a rotor in the stator positioned to have rotating contact with the channel face 5 of the stator and to be spaced from the opposite face thereof to form an intervening compressed fluid chamber, lateral abutments on the rotor and movable in the channels, and ports in the stator controllable by the rotor 40 for causing each abutment to compress charges of fluid within the channels and de liver them to the receiving chamber.

Signed at Delano in the county of Kern and State of California this 3d day of July,

-AUGUSTUS T. BURGER. 

